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Focus on potential, not experience

A lack of previous experience is the biggest barrier to young people being able to access job opportunities. To make things harder, many employers ask applicants for unnecessary previous experience and qualifications for entry-level roles.

Employers can also take into account other valuable experience that young people have gained outside of education and employment such as volunteering and social action and hidden digital skills. These kinds of experiences demonstrate initiative, a wide range of interpersonal skills and a commitment to making a difference.

What young people have told us:

Not having the correct experience is the biggest barrier to young people who want to apply for a role, with almost 60% being affected. However, nearly 85% of young people felt they were appropriately qualified for their role, suggesting that young people are very well equipped with the skills and confidence needed for their job, even if they don’t have the experience on paper.

Key things to consider:

What stages does your current recruitment process involve? Are candidates without previous experience automatically screened out?

Updates

Ricoh UK decided to take action to tackle a skills gap which was beginning to appear within some of their key departments, developing their Future Talent Development Programme to attract more young people.

How future proof is your business? Check out our free tool.

Take the first step to Future Proof your business.
Use our free online tool to identify where your youth employment strategy is working well, and the practical steps you can take to improve it. It takes just 15 minutes to complete and generates a free bespoke report for your business.

Backed by the City & Guilds Group

The City & Guilds Group is a leader in global skills development. We work with education providers, employers and governments in over 100 countries across the world to help people, businesses and economies grow by shaping skills systems and supporting skills development.